Hawsker

This is a game I invented in a caravan in Whitby sometime in 2004. To play you need a deck of cards and a method of scoring, either pen and paper or a cribbage board.

Rules

Standard Rules

Hawsker is a 2 player game that uses a standard 52 card deck. Begin the game by dealing 8 cards to each player. Both players then discard two cards face down and being a round of "pegging" - where each player takes it in turn to lay down cards and draw a new one. Once five plays have been made by each player, pegging ends and the players move on to scoring. Pegging is led by the player who is currently losing, at the start of a game, cut the pack to see who leads.

Legal plays: During pegging, legal plays are as follows:

• The first card played can be any one card.
• Any card in the same suit as the top card.
• Any King.
• Any card (or combination of cards) that adds to 13 when combined with the current top card. (aces value 1, Jacks, 11, queens 12, all other cards face value.)
• If the top card is a king, any combination that adds to 13 in itself can be played, or any card in the same suit.

Notes: If more than one card is used, only one card is drawn to replace it. If a player cannot play, pegging ends, they discard their hand and do not score any points. If a player empties their hand completely, pegging ends, they score the points value of their opponents hand and their opponent scores no points (this is called "Stealing").

Scoring: After both players make five plays, or pegging ends early, both players discard one more card and score their hands as follows:

• 1 point for each king in hand.
• 2 points for each combination of cards that adds to 13 (e.g. A,2,2,10,10 scores 8 points for 13s).
• 2 cards for every pair (e.g. 4 of a kind scores 12 points for pairs).
• 1 point for every card in a unique run (e.g. 67789 scores 8 points for runs).
• 1 point for every card in a flush (if the hand is all one suit).

Once both hands have been scored both players are dealt cards until they both have a hand of 8 cards again. You keep the cards you used to score.

Players play to 100 points, or 50 points for a short game. If both players pass the goal in the same scoring round the player with the most points wins. If the scores are tied another round is played to determine a winner, determining who leads at random.

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